Shipping charges

[Peter J]

Ever wondered why shipping charges from some suppliers are so high? This box contained one oil filler cap, two cork gaskets and one manifold gasket.
One thing though, they sure weren't going to get damaged

[Mike V. Florida]

Another well discussed topic. The problem comes with not knowing the size and weight of the items you are buying as you buy them. There is software that can determine that but at what cost to the little guy?

Refunding the difference or trusting the vendor to add actual shipping after they pack the order are two ways but each adds labor costs. No perfect solution I guess when we order rather than pick up.

[Joe K]

Now you have a cardboard box you can unfold and use it to lay on when you work under the car.

Joe K

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Peter J

Ever wondered why shipping charges from some suppliers are so high? This box contained one oil filler cap, two cork gaskets and one manifold gasket.
One thing though, they sure weren't going to get damaged

Please, lets not be so quick. In the LTL freight industry, there are companies that are positioning for business and one way these salesman can complete on a level bidding field is to quote on weight for everything being shipped. This also helps the shipper as they do not need to purchase so many different size boxes to accomendate all sizes. Therefore in the grande scheme of things, the additional packaging and packing probably did not at much more than a ¼-½ pound more to the weight, --which probably fell into the same shipping price by the time all things were factored in.

Now the other side of this coin is it is very likely that the vendor lost money on this transaction based on his profit margin. For example the oil cap probably allowed the vendor to make 20% profit ($1.00) and each gasket set about $ .50 - $.75 for a total of about $3.00. This vendor had to buy the box, the packing materials, and the tape, then apply labor for someone to pull the item from inventory, place it in the box and seal it up, then print off a shipping label and then get it ready for pick-up. You do the math on how long all of that took and figure out who came out the winner in that deal!!

.

[Rowdy]

Much agreed Brent, I do alot of shipping and can tell you it is not free. With the cost of time the shipper might have broke even. I custom make boxes for odd size parts. Other than the gas and time to go get it my packing supplies are near free. My labor time is about 20 minutes or alittle longer for each. Likely with my profit margin I am working for less than minimum wage while doing so. Thankfully I am not paying someone $12+/ hr to do so. Rod

[Jon]

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And I'm thinking he carries an inventory of certain size boxes. If it doesn't fit in the middle size one you're going to get the bigger one. Life's too short.

[CarlG]

Ever order anything from Amazon? Some of the smallest things come in the biggest boxes, even with almost no packing material to keep them from rattling around.

[700rpm]

Bert's charges actual shipping charges. That's good for the customers and seems to work for them as well.

[ronn]

Like your take Joe K and when it's outlived it's useful life as a crawler, it'll have plenty of oil stains on it to help ignite the wood stove and make heat....

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by ronn

Like your take Joe K and when it's outlived it's useful life as a crawler, it'll have plenty of oil stains on it to help ignite the wood stove and make heat....

Don't forget to put the ashes on the garden. We wouldn't want ANY bit of advantage slip our fingers.

Frugality is its own reward. Heck with the money!

Joe K

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Joe K

Don't forget to put the ashes on the garden. We wouldn't want ANY bit of advantage slip our fingers.

Frugality is its own reward. Heck with the money!

Joe K

I've been putting my ashes around the base of the evergreen trees since I planted them 2 and 5 years ago. They are doing quite well. My brother put ashes around his garden plants and said it kept a lot of insect away, as well as fertilize.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

My brother put ashes around his garden plants and said it kept a lot of insect away, as well as fertilize.

Most soils are acid due to the acid rain (which is NOT a matter for global warming or pollution as the rain has been acid as long as there has been ANY Carbon Dioxide in air - which of course is always.) And burning 4 cords of wood a winter here in Cow Hampshire we have a nicely "neutral" garden which we hope is optimal for growing veggies.

We need to put the veggies in the back of the truck and park it down by the road with "honor system" on the cash box.

Well, Cow Hampshire is still small town USA. Mostly.

Joe K

[Purdy Swoft]

Why not proirity mail??? The post office furnishes the box and its the fastest lowest priced way to ship.

[ken ct]

I use PO almost exclusivily better for the customer and cheaper. ken ct.

[Franchise_24]

I ordered a wiper rebuild kit from Gas Light the other day. The price was 19.99 and then with shipping and tax (because I live in Ohio where they are) it came to 23.42. Next to nothing on the shipping, they said they'd send it USPS for me since I only ordered the one thing. They are a gem I have found.

*Edit
They charged me $2.07 (the actual shipping costs)